The Miracle of Mindfulness

David over at Protean shares this wonderful quote by Thich Nhat Hanh:

If while washing the dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not "washing the dishes to wash the dishes." What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future -- and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.

I thought it was worth sharing.

I love _____.

I recently came upon this gem over at Protean, and I knew that I needed to share it with you:


High up in the Rockies a small boy and his mother were visiting. One day, after he had been punished, the boy ran to the edge of the cliff and shouted at his mother, "I hate you! I hate you!" Across the ravine came the echo, "I hate you! I hate you!" Thoroughly frightened the boy ran to his mother and said . "Who is that bad man over there who said, 'I hate you'?" Taking the boy's hand, the mother led him back to the top of the cliff, "Now," she said, "call out 'I love you! I love you!'" Clearly and sweetly the echo came, repeating his words. "My boy," said the mother, taking him into her arms, "that is the law of life — what you give, you get in return.


James Keller
Source: Three Minutes by James Keller, M. M., 1950

Ecclesiastes 7:13

"Consider the work of God: for who can make straight what He has made crooked?"

I saw this over on Andy's blog, The Last Debate... and it struck a chord in me. I'm not sure which chord, but reading it in the context Andy presented it just seemed profoundly a propos.

God Bless the Entire Planet. No Exceptions.

Saw that on a bumper last night as Boy Wonder and I winged our way to FHE.

What a great sentiment ( you know... for a bumper sticker... ) !